


Home for Christmas

by sonshineandshowers



Category: Prodigal Son (TV 2019)
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Older Man/Younger Man, Sickfic, Tiny Daddy Kink Mention
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:55:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28304913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sonshineandshowers/pseuds/sonshineandshowers
Summary: Under the weather, Malcolm's not up to leaving the loft for Christmas, so he and Gil have Christmas morning at home.
Relationships: Gil Arroyo/Malcolm Bright
Comments: 6
Kudos: 30
Collections: Prodigal Son Holidays Fic Exchange





	Home for Christmas

**Author's Note:**

  * For [IllestRin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/IllestRin/gifts).



> For IllestRin, who requested Broyo, H/C, fluff, and a happy ending. This also has that optionally listed holiday theme. Happy holidays!

Gil could guess how many more twists a rewatch of _Inception_ would go through, yet the bending world of copper and life faded into the background in favor of his partner's labored breathing. Heavy mist thickened the air, a daily prescription now to make it more breathable, to relieve the pain in Malcolm's lungs that lingered from late fall into the winter. Gil's feet up on the coffee table, Malcolm curled into his chest near dozing, rendering one arm immobile. The other stroked Squiggs, who had taken up her own spot along his chest and stomach, the tiny, purring cat all fluff and always clinging to her humans for warmth.

Malcolm shivered, leading Gil to stop petting the cat in exchange for rubbing his partner's back over the double-lined fleece blanket tucked around him. "Need anything?" Gil asked into Malcolm's hair.

"No." Even the tiny word clenched Malcolm's chest in a wheeze, Gil rubbing Malcolm's back as the kid fought back a cough.

"Shhh," Gil whispered into Malcolm's hair. An inhaler multiple times a day, rest, and humidity still hadn't managed to beat the chronic bronchitis turned asthma. Of course, rest was debatable when it came to Malcolm, and the doctor had pointed to that as a factor as to why it had gotten so bad in the first place. An increased dosage of medicine now in play, Malcolm had spent half the holiday week home recuperating of his own volition in an attempt to be mobile for Christmas. Progress, sure, but it scared the crap out of Gil at the same time, so he fought to get out of work at a reasonable time so he could sit with him. He hadn’t thought their Christmas Eve would be like this, but minus his partner being sick, he wouldn’t trade it.

Kissing the crown of his head, there wasn't a fever. No indication anything was worse. He held him close and pretended there was anything left of _Inception_ that could draw him in.

* * *

Gil was accustomed to waking up first or alone. The kid got up all hours of the night when he couldn't sleep, and Gil learned over time it was healthier not to question it – Malcolm would get back into bed when he was tired again.

Waking up just before the alarm, the kid still in bed beside him, stolen covers wrapped around him, awake and snuggling with Squiggs, that was odd. Chilled by the lack of any covers, Gil leaned over and kissed the little bit of skin visible beside Malcolm's ear. "You okay?"

"Didn’t sleep. I was thinking that – " Malcolm started, and a wheeze took away his air, scared the cat lunging from the bed, fluffy tail disappearing around the corner. His shoulders shook against the bed as Gil rubbed his back through several coughs. "I think we should stay home."

"I can call your mom."

"Later." Malcolm's breaths wheezed in his chest. "Don't give her enough warning to come here."

"You know she's gonna come anyway." Gil rubbed Malcolm's back as he worked his way through more coughs. "Shh, take it easy."

"Need to shower."

"If it's just the two of us – " Gil started, trying to make the day as easy on his partner as possible.

"Steam."

"You're in pain."

Malcolm nodded.

"How about a Christmas breakfast of tea?"

“Under the tree. Tin.” Malcolm’s words caught at the end as he lost his air.

“The echinacea I was looking at,” Gil stated, the loose-leaf tea one he had passed over in the tea shop because he didn’t actually _need_ it.

Malcolm nodded again.

Gil hugged Malcolm close as if he could help him feel better if he just held him tight enough. “Can I give you something for your shower, or do you want to be surprised?”

“Your choice.”

Gil crossed to the living room and grabbed the brown-paper grocery bag wrapped bundle. Kneeling beside the bed, he set the package on the bed in front of Malcolm. Malcolm slid a hand underneath the seam and split it open to a navy microfleece robe he buried his face in. “Thank you,” he mumbled through the material. It was one of many small things Gil had gotten him to bring him comfort. Gil was glad he had washed it before he wrapped it.

Malcolm eventually slid his way out of bed and made it to the bathroom, Gil’s cue to get up. Not preparing anything steamy for breakfast, Gil let Sunshine out to keep him company while Malcolm showered. He listened for the door to open, dusting a cinnamon heart onto the top of Malcolm’s tea hoping it would hold long enough for him to see. They might be downsizing their celebration, but he wanted to do a little something that might bring him a smile.

“Merry Christmas, kid.” He pushed the mug to the edge of the counter.

Malcolm smiled as he looked at the mug and leaned in to give him a kiss. “Merry Christmas.”

More honey than Gil could fathom poured out of the honey bear and into the tea, Malcolm stirring the whole concoction together and taking a sip.

“I can chew this.” Malcolm looked at him over the top of the mug.

“Jackie special. There’s lemon in there – you’ll like it.”

“The whole lemon tree,” Malcolm returned, his face skeptical of its contents.

“You sound a little better.” Gil rubbed Malcolm’s shoulder. “Come sit with me?”

Malcolm shrugged. “More I talk, the worse it gets.” The two of them walked to the living room, Malcolm carrying Sunshine on his fingers. They settled into the couch together, sitting beside one another and Squiggs hopping up on the opposite end. Sunshine chirped, letting Squiggs know where their territorial divide laid.

“You want yours first or hers?” Gil asked.

“You got presents for Sunshine?”

Gil shrugged. “It’s a combo gift.”

“I didn’t get something for Squiggs.” Malcolm reached his foot out to pet her.

“I did. She already half-opened the package. Pets it is.” Gil retrieved a paper-wrapped box and tossed the fabric catnip bird to the couch beside Squiggs.

“The only bird she’s ever getting,” Malcolm teased.

“Sunshine’s house for sure.”

“What did daddy get you, girl?” Malcolm spoke to his shoulder.

Gil smiled. It wasn’t the context his partner normally used the word, but hearing it brought pleasure just the same. He looked on as Malcolm ripped off the paper, revealing a wooden box.

“You replaced our Scrabble tiles.” Malcolm looked to Gil, a grin splitting his face. “Thank you.”

“Do you want to lay here and play for a bit?”

“I got you things.”

“I got you things, too, but it’s a lazy day. We have time.” Gil stroked Malcolm’s arm from shoulder to wrist.

“She’s going to beat us.”

“Who said we’re on the same team?” Gil teased, pulling Malcolm into a one-armed hug. “We’re gonna beat you.”

Malcolm laughed, the hearty sound turning into another stretch of wheezes and coughs Gil rubbed Malcolm’s back through. Stretching out on the couch, the two of them settled into a comfortable sprawl.

“We really should call your mom,” Gil reminded him.

“Loser calls.”

“There’s your sense of humor.” Gil kissed the top of Malcolm’s head. “Me and Sunshine versus you and Squiggs.”

“She’s sleeping.” Malcolm looked toward the cat.

“You better keep up, then.”

They played the tiles on the coffee table, their free arms reaching out to put them into rows and columns, not sitting on a board, not keeping any sort of score, letting Sunshine play about moving the tiles wherever she wanted. Malcolm fell asleep against Gil’s shoulder, and Gil kept playing with Sunshine on the table, deciding that the phone call to Jessica could wait until after a moment with all of his loves. Squiggs crawled on top of Malcolm, sprawling over his hip and lounging in all of their warmth.


End file.
